Joseph Kenneth Fish

Lance Corporal
H&S CO, 1ST BN, 1ST MARINES, 1ST MARDIV
United States Marine Corps
06 September 1947 - 19 February 1968
Rutland, Vermont
Panel 40E Line 020

1ST MARDIV

1ST MARINES
Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Joseph Kenneth Fish

15 Jan 1999

Joseph Kenneth "Jody" Fish lost his life in the February Tet offensive of 1968. He was killed in Phu Bai in house-to-house fighting.

Jody had just two weeks to go before his tour was over. He wrote me just a few days before his death. Jody was looking forward to getting on the freedom bird and coming back to the real world to resume his civilian life. I didn't write back and to this day that has haunted me.

Maybe with this small effort I'll be able to let Jody rest in peace.

Jody was a person that you could not help but like. He was my best friend and I loved him like a brother. Not a day has gone by that I have not thought of him. I've often spoken to my family about him and what a caring person he was. Whatever Jody did he did with his heart and soul.

I met with one of Jody's friends who was with him when he died. At the time I did not realize what that young man was going through. I only wish I could speak with him again. Possibly, someone will see this who was in the Marines with Jody and will contact me.

Like Jody said to me once during a high school football game, "Hey, Bull, meet you at the quarterback".

Well, my friend, you have been gone a long time but will be in my heart forever and yes, I will meet you once again.

Your friend Bryan,
Vietnam 70-71
sshort6067@aol.com

01 Sep 2006

May God give you peace!

From a cousin,
Candace Fish
cando_bando@msn.com

22 Dec 2006

Life and Death are always full of purpose. You will never know the purpose you have given me.

Your Brother,
Carl
carl@intercareweb.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

The first entry above says LCpl Joseph Fish "was killed in Phu Bai in house-to-house fighting." The 1st Bn, 1st Marines were indeed based at Phu Bai, south of Hue; they were in the midst of relocating from Quang Tri Province when the 1968 Tet Offensive began. On 31 January 1968 only a small part of the battalion had actually reached Phu Bai; the remainder was strung out along Highway 1. None the less, Alpha 1/1, Bravo 1/1, and a command group were immediately pressed into service in the fighting around Hue and remained engaged in that fight through February.

The 1/1 Operations Log for 19 February identifies a single death within the Battalion in an entry which reads:

"191732H - Mill B to Big Flower: Spot report #9 - unit received rockets and 1 KIA."
The Phu Bai detachment's report for 19 Feb 1968 says they had no casualties on that date; it follows that LCpl Fish was with Bravo Company ("Mill B") in Hue rather than with the battalion rear ("Big Flower") at Phu Bai.


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
his brother,
Carl
carl@intercareweb.com



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 15 Jan 1999
Last updated 02/16/2007